•• Why I Bought The Instant Pot (and why you probably should, too) ••In this review, I'll cover safety mechanisms and info, how to use the instant pot, minimum liquid requirements, along with a whole slew of things I learned over a year and a half of ownership.I waited a long time to write this because I wanted to be sure the Instant Pot wasn't a flash in the pan gimmick. How was the quality of construction? Did it maintain heating standards over the years? How often do parts need replacement? I had so many questions! The technology was too new for definitive answers. Yes, it has thousands of positive reviews, but so many people tend to review the first moment they get a product and never update. I wanted answer, so I took the plunge FOR SCIENCE! (Also delicious food, but mostly science)I love food, and I love cooking. While not amazing, I am a passionate home cook with a wide variety of culinary interests. I make meals for my wife daily, and I refuse to buy cheap, nutritionally absent lunches. As such, I'm almost always in the kitchen plugging away. The truth is... the Instant Pot is brilliant, and the high praise it has received from reviewers is SPOT ON. It has made everything in my culinary life easier and better. I've used it constantly over a year and a half (originally purchased August, 2016), and it looks like it's fresh off the assembly line. I haven't even had to replace the least durable aspect (the silicon seal) due to my lack of acidic recipes. The stainless steel pot looks like it hasn't been subject to any heat, let alone hundreds of pressure-filled uses. Even if your pot did warp, you can buy a replacement through Amazon. Some people I know purchased a second simply so that they could start another meal without having to wash the first.•• How Does It Work & Safety Mechanism Info ••The instant pot creates a pressure filled environment that cooks food super fast without sapping it of the precious liquid necessary to stay tender. Back in the day, people were afraid of pressure cookers because unsealing it without releasing the pressure could mean an explosion! The Instant Pot has multiple safety mechanisms in place to ensure this is no longer possible. Once the pot has come to pressure, a stopper pops to the top and seals in the pressure (shown in my photos below this review). When the stopper seals in the pressure, the lid LOCKS firmly in place. You CANNOT remove the lid until the pressure has dissipated and the stopper has dropped. Safe and happy :)•• Instant Pot In the Media••Since buying mine, I've seen electric pressure cookers on Master Chef US. I remember one contestant, David, used one to make a Risotto. Gordon Ramsay asked, "Are you shallambalam crazy? How could that possibly work?" Moments later, he ate his words because the second the risotto hit his palette, he said, "It shouldn't work, but it does. It's bloody delicious." I couldn't have summed it up better myself.On top of that, Instant Pot is a CANADIAN innovation. It's rightfully poised to be the number one selling Amazon product on Black Friday. That's for a reason. Again, I couldn't endorse it more thoroughly. Let's take a look at why!•• A Complete Crock Pot Replacement ••When I initially purchased the Instant Pot, I lived in a small basement suite with limited counter space. I wanted the 6qt Pot to replace a HUGE 8qt slow cooker taking up space on my counter. Plus, the Instant Pot performs functions my slow cooker could only dream of. No longer do I have to brown meat in a separate pan and then transfer it to my crock pot. I can set Mr. IP to saute mode, sear my chicken, and swap it over to pressure cook the moment it's adequately browned. This not only saves a ton of work but limits the number of dishes made. In addition, it's a rice cooker and more.Being honest, I barely use the features outside of the "Manual Pressure Cooking" and "Searing." In a year and a half, I still make my rice in a pot because it's always a secondary dish. On the other hand, I've used the "Pressure Cooker" settings to make butternut squash risotto and all kinds of other rice-based dishes. What I'm trying to say is... even though it has 7 features, running it on manual tends to get the job done. My typical usage look like this:1. Press manual2. Set the timer3. Wait a ridiculously short time... and enjoy the fruits of my Instant Pot's loving labour!Truthfully, I don't even use the slow cooker feature. It seems that everything a slow cooker can do, a pressure cooker can do better and faster. Why cook a whole chicken for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low... when I can finish it in 45 minutes (30 cook time, 15 building pressure)? Using a whole chicken as an example, 30 mins creates the same levels of tenderness as an 8 hour low cook.•• What do I use it for, and how do I use it? ••I'm not much of a one-pot meal kinda guy; although, the Pot is fantastic in that regard. To that end, I've made risottos, taco fillings, one-pot pasta dishes, and the best pulled pork I could imagine... and more! Personally, my favourite use is prepping meat. I can buy a pack of frozen chicken breasts at Costco, leave them FROZEN, and have 4 of them cooked to perfection in 10-20 minutes (depending on thickness). Being able to do this has saved me a ton of money. I firmly believe the Instant Pot has paid for itself a dozen times over in a single year.I used to have to cook ribs low and slow for hours, but with the pressure cooker, I can create a rack of succulent pork ribs in 23 minutes and finish them for 5 under my broiler. They are fall off the bone tender with caramelized BBQ in roughly 35 minutes of work. You just don't get returns like that with conventional cooking methods. Roasts are similar and quite flexible. I tend to cut a 3lbs pork roast into 1lbs chunks and cook them for 30-60 minutes depending on fat content. Got a winter squash that would normally take 35-45 minutes of steaming? I can tenderize a FAT acorn squash in 5 minutes flat, with maybe 3 minutes of pressure building time. It's awesome.Most importantly, using the instant pot frees my stove-top and oven for making sauces and sides that I would've considered being "in the way" before. I know I sound gushy and over the top, but it's utterly amazing to have cultivated that kind of kitchen freedom.•• What can it fit? ••6qts fits a full rack of ribs. I slice them into three parts and stack them around the edges of the stainless steel pot. In roughly 23 minutes, an average rack is tender and ready for the broiler. The same methodology can be applied to nearly any cut of meat: pork chops, chicken breasts -- anything that needs to stay tender.Cheap, fat pork roasts, I tend to toss in all at once. For large 3kg roasts, it takes roughly 60 minutes, and you have the most tender pulled pork of your life.I cook whole 2kg chickens with plenty of space to spare.In summation, I think the 6qt cooker is the perfect size for 2-4 people. If you're cooking for 4+, you'll likely want to go up in size to 8qts.•• Basic How To & Minimum Liquid Requirements ••As stated earlier, I typically turn on the Instant Pot, press manual, set my time, and walk away. The thing with the extra settings is, they're all using the same method. Press the "Rice" button? All it does is set the timer for 4 minutes (which only works for white rice), so I find that learning manual times is best for every possible use.Here is an average cooking sequence. I turn on the instant pot and press saute. I add a little oil, and drop in my meat to be seared. When it's done searing, I hit cancel to turn off the saute feature. Lastly, I add whatever liquid is needed, screw on the lid, set the cook time, set the cap to 'seal' not 'vent', and walk away. This takes no time at all. Don't forget to add seasoning!Keep in mind, when a recipe calls for 30 minutes cook time, it can sometimes take up to 45 minutes to cook. Depending on the amount of liquid you have in the pot determines the amount of time it takes to come to pressure. The **MINIMUM REQUIRED LIQUID** for any single recipe is 1/2 cups of liquid. This can be water, stock, or even a bottle of BBQ sauce... But your instant pot cannot come to pressure without that minimum. If you're cooking something like zucchini or mushrooms, you could theoretically use a little less because they are going to release so much moisture. However, my rule of thumb is always 1/2 cup minimum at all times.Here's another way to think about cook times. When your pasta cooking instructions state: "Takes 8 minutes to cook," that doesn't mean you put a pot of water on the stove, drop your pasta in, crank it to high, and it's done in 8 minutes! It means it's cooked in 8 minutes once your water is boiling. The instant pot functions the same way. Once it builds pressure, it should take 1-60 minutes to cook almost anything you can imagine. The longest something has taken to come to pressure was a particularly thick soup. It took up approximately 3/4's of my stainless steel pot and took about 15-20 minutes to come to pressure.I stress that in spite of the time it takes to come to pressure, I often finish things HOURS earlier than I could have with any other cooking method.•• Maximum Amount of Liquid ••Opposite the minimum liquid, your instant pot should never be filled more than 3/4's of the stainless steel pot. If it's THAT full, you risk overflowing and having things shoot out of the steam vent. To be clear, my friend has an instant pot and has filled it darn near to the brim with leek and potato soup without incident. This is simply a cautionary statement. According to Instant Pot's manual, don't fill it more than 3/4's full, and you'll always have a good time :)•• Venting Methods ••There are two methods for releasing pressure once the cook is completed: natural release and quick release. Often, pressure cooker cookbooks will tell you to use one or the other at the end of recipes. I'll explain what they are!NATURAL RELEASE: This is what it sounds like. When a recipe is done, the pressure will slowly dissipate over time. As soon as your cook time is finished, a timer starts counting. This lets you know how long it's been sitting after the cook is technically done. The natural release method tends to take no longer than 20 minutes. With less liquid, sometimes the pressure will be gone within 7-10 minutes, at which time the stopper drops, and the pressure unlocks.While the pressure is slowly dissipating, your food continues to cook. Some recipes say, "use the natural release method over 20 minutes." What they mean is that your food needs another 20 minutes under that pressure to finish cooking, so leave it, and enjoy!QUICK RELEASE: The quick release method is useful for two reasons.1. If your food does not need to continue cooking, use quick release to access it almost immediately. It still takes about 1 minute to vent, depending on the amount of liquid.2. If you need to stop a cook to add something, use quick release. For example, let's say you're cooking a roast, and you want to add vegetables near the end of the cook cycle. You would do it this way because vegetables cooked for the full 60 minutes would be baby food at best. Cook the roast for 50 minutes instead of 60, quick release, remove the lid, and add your veggies. Then start on manual again. Yes, it has to build pressure, but it should do it quicker the second time because the remaining liquid is pre-heated.How to quick release: Simply turn the vent from 'seal' mode to 'vent' mode. Again, check my pictures below the review. When you do this, steam shoots up into the air. I recommend not placing your instant pot under cabinetry for this reason; otherwise, the bottom of your cupboards will see a lot of condensation.:: IMPORTANT NOTE :: Do NOT quick release when making soups or other highly liquid items. Up to a few cups of liquid is more than fine, but if your stainless steel pot is filled 3/4's with liquid (say, a soup), you may actually quick release soup all over your kitchen. Again, 95% of the time, quick releasing is going to be fine. Just be smart!••You Will Make Mistakes! I Recommend A Meat Thermometer ••As with any kitchen implement, there is a learning curve. Some recipes will be amazing the first time, and some will not. You WILL overcook things. That's okay. I told a friend to buy a 2kg bird and cook it for 30 minutes. He bought a 1.5kg bird and tried the same time. Surprise! It was overcooked. 5 minutes of pressure is a long time. You'll need to play around with times for some things. To that end, I recommend this meat thermometer: Digital FoodThermometer - Lavatools Thermowand®. I've owned it for over a year, and it's turned out to be one of my most successfully reviewed products. It costs $10-20 more than most, but I personally vouch for its high quality. It's water resistant in the event of splashes (and pressure liquids) and is easy to swap to either Celsius or Farenheit. It's also supremely fast to read and overall easy to use.Here's how I use it with the instant pot. Say I'm cooking two FAT frozen chicken breasts of differing size. I finish cooking them for 10 minutes, quick release, and open the lid. One breast is done at a perfect 165 degrees in the thickest portion. The other still feels frozen in the middle and reads 100 degrees, which is highly raw. No problem. I remove the finished one, put the lid back on, and set it for another 5 minutes. Then I can test the done-ness using the thermometer and repeat. Eventually, you'll know cook times for all of your favourite meats and won't need the thermometer. But MAN is it great for peace of mind! I couldn't recommend one more.•• Notes on the Silicon Seal & General Replacement Parts ••One major criticism of the instant pot is that the silicon seal that keeps moisture from escaping the lid... tends to trap smells. I can confirm that they absolutely do, but those smells DO NOT bleed into your food no matter how smelly the seal. I haven't had to change my seal at all, and it isn't as bad as some people make it out to be. I'm extremely scent sensitive (hate perfume and strong scented products), and it doesn't bother me. Let's just say, you won't be walking by your instant pot and ever smell it. You have to legitimately put it up to your nose.There's one caveat to this. If you cook dry beans to full, they are inherently pungent, and that scent will be STRONG. Some people replace the silicon ring after one cook of beans (which I think is insane). I can't comment on the smell, myself, as I've avoided cooking beans in the instant pot. It's just something to think about.The good news is that... because the Instant Pot is such a huge hit on Amazon, I GUARANTEE you will always be able to find cheap, replacement parts. On Amazon, look up "instant pot silicon seal," and you can find 2-packs for $20 sold direct from Amazon. Similarly, look up "instant pot stainless steel inner cooking pot," and you'll find extras and replacements direct from the manufacturer.I feel the need to stress that in 1 year and a half of use, I haven't had to replace a silicon ring, and I certainly haven't had to consider replacing the stainless steel pot.•• Cleaning ••Cleaning is easy. So far, nothing has been stuck on the pot so badly that I've had to do more than toss it in the sink. It's stainless steel, so it's dishwasher safe, but I prefer to give it a good scrubbing after use. If things are BURNED on, you can fill it with a bunch of water and run a manual cook cycle to loosen it all. Then toss it in the sink and give it a second scrubbing. I can say I haven't had to do that at all, but it's always a cleaning option.The lid and sealing vents are completely cleanable. I toss the whole thing in the sink on occasion - probably ever 3-5 cooks, depending on how messy the ingredients. Trust me, you'll know when it needs cleaning. After particularly chunky meals, I recommend cleaning the vent cap to make sure it's not clogged. You'll see the piece in question in my photos below the review.•• Recommended Cookbooks and Information ••The truth is, there are SO many good pressure cooker books out nowadays. There are entire food blogs dedicated to instant pot cooking. Google is your best friend. You can get started right away.What helped me learn about pressure cooking in general was the book "Hip Pressure Cooking." Not only is the book excellent, but their website is filled with tons of useful info and beginner's resources.•• Conclusion ••I hoped my journey helped you learn something useful. In the end, I can't recommend electric pressure cookers enough: in particular, the Instant Pot. I talked a friend into getting one, and he loves it. I'm currently trying to get my mom to give up her slow cooker for a significant upgrade. In my mind, it's one of the best kitchen innovations of the century alongside handy sous vide machines and electric meat thermometers.Whatever you decide, happy cooking, and best of luck going forward! :)If you have any specific questions, always feel free to leave a comment below the review.04/04/2018 Additions: Okay, so an update! I now know from first-hand experience that the safety features work like a charm.Sometimes, when you removing and replacing the lid after checking your meal, the seal comes out of place due to heat expansion. On one occasion, I didn't do a great job of checking that the seal was in place. I reset the timer for like 2 minutes, and as the pot reached pressure, I heard a huge WOOOOOSH as all the steam escaped. The Instant Pot didn't explode like those horror stories you hear. All that happened was the steam escaped, all at once, in a downward-facing ring. It barely even made my island wet because I only had about a cup of liquid. In fact, most of the liquid remained in the steel pot.Now that I know that's the worst that can happen, I feel even more secure. I have zero fear of "pressure explosions." The safety mechanisms work extremely well.